Every year, Valley View Community Food Bank participates in the National Letter Carriers’ Food Drive every year, a single day where letter carriers collect nonperishable foods that are left by the community at their mailboxes.

The food drive helps all local food banks in each community by distributing all donated food to participating local food banks. This is food bank’s biggest and most effective food drive of the year, allowing them to redistribute the food back to those in need.

However, in order to participate there is a requirement by the National Letters Carriers Food Drive: Food banks must purchase the bags needed to collect the food.

In order to reach their goal of 400,000 pounds of donated food, the food bank must raise $15,000 before March 25.

The postal food drive contracts a distributor for the required bags, and the food bank is responsible for a paying their portion in order to receive any of the donated food collected. If the food bank cannot pay for their supplies, the food bank will not receive any of the donated food that is collected within the community.

“We’re hoping the community will offer donations to help us buy the required supplies and help us get this vital food to those who aren’t able afford it.” said Jesse Ramirez, founder of Valley View Community Food Bank. "Without it, we might not make it through the summer and thousands of needy families, elderly and children won't get the food they need."

The food bank received approximately 3,000 pounds of food or more in previous years, which helps support the community through the tough summer months when donations are at their lowest.

The food collected from “Stamp Out Hunger” is packed by food bank volunteers and used within emergency food boxes that get distributed to the working poor, elderly, families, children and others in need.

The food bank is asking local businesses, organizations and individuals to consider supporting their mission to end hunger by making a donation online or in person. Those interested can visit the food bank website to make an online donation at www.YourFoodBank.org or by stopping by the food bank location at 10615 W. Peoria Ave., Sun City, AZ 85351, for more information. To make a donation via phone, call 623-933-3358.

Valley View Community Food Bank operates in Sun City in a 64,000 square foot building and serves more than 264,000 families and is supported by more than 760 volunteers. The food bank distributed over 13.2 million pounds of shelf stable food and more than 14.4 million pounds of fresh produce to those in need last fiscal year.